Plan for new suburb with 1,400 homes rejected

The developer has not been given permission to fill the one-and-a-half-mile gap between Tring and the town’s railway station with homes, Westminster has ruled

Plans for a new suburb with 1,400 homes cannot be built on green belt land, Westminster ruled.

Construction company Redrow, and Harrow Estates, had proposed a “garden suburb” extension to Tring in Dacorum, Hertfordshire. It would have contained a mix of homes “including affordable housing of different types, sizes and tenures, and self-build housing”.

Housing minister Felicity Buchan, on behalf of Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove, turned down the proposals following an inquiry last year.

In a letter dated March 15, 2024, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) warned the project would “fail to conserve or improve the prevailing landscape quality, character and condition”.

Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Minister rejected the plans and said there would be "significant loss" to green spaces

According to the letter, Mr Gove ruled there was enough land in Dacorum to meet local housing needs with new homes for the next 2.06 years – less than half the five-year target set by DLUHC.

It considered “the contribution of the future residents to the local labour force and local economy” among the possible scheme benefits, along with the provision of 140 extra care homes and land for education.

But decision-makers warned of adverse effects on the Chilterns National Landscape – formerly known as the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) – with the loss of panoramic views.

“The proposal would fail to conserve the special qualities of the Chilterns AONB,” the letter noted.

It added the proposal “would result in significant harm to green belt purpose ‘a’ to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas and green belt purpose ‘c’ to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment”.

'Very special circumstances exist'

Ministers’ decision to refuse planning permission goes against the recommendation by planning inspector, Martin Whitehead.

He wrote that the "proposal would result in a significant boost to new housing in the borough" which would help "outweigh the harm".

"Looking at this case as a whole, I consider that very special circumstances exist which justify the development," he said.

During the 2023 inquiry, Christopher Young KC on behalf of the developers said new families moved in significant numbers to Tring during the 1960s.

“Indeed, there has been a dearth of new housing development since that era.

“As a consequence, Tring has some catching up to do.”

Dacorum Borough Council had previously refused the application before developers lodged their appeal with the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

Simon Bird KC, defending the authority’s position, warned decision-makers to avoid the “death of the green belt by a thousand cuts”.